Belleair Beach City Election - There is a lot of Belleair Beach taxpayer money being allocated for projects and expenses in the next few years.
One thing is clear in the upcoming city election: Citizens of Belleair Beach need to elect someone who has a legal and financial background to follow all of this money.
There is one candidate who has those credentials, his name is Richard Crowl. Even though he is relatively new to Belleair Beach, there is an opportunity for Belleair Beach taxpayers to have an experienced fellow taxpayer participate in city spending habits.
There will most surely be election mailers flowing in Belleair Beach stating why candidates should be elected to the city council; however, clear-minded citizens should want someone who is a fiscal conservative with the credentials of Crowl.
Why a fiscal conservative?
It's simple, it wasn't long ago that Belleair Beach went into debt (fancy word for city bonds) due to the BB City Marina lawsuit. Long term city debt (bond debt) can reach into the next generation of city residents for repayment.
We rarely hear the words, "taxes are being lowered" in city government. Yet, every once in a while it would be nice to hear, "taxes are being lowered."
Largo City Election - What surprises me the most about Largo's upcoming city election is that anyone on the current city commission would challenge current Mayor Bob Jackson.
Bob Jackson has helped to lead the City Commission, which has been contentious, in making steady progress for all Largo citizens and businesses. Jackson has been reasonable, fair-minded, respectful and attentive to all Largo residents. Jackson once told me he likes to hear from citizens, "Even if they disagree with city decisions."
Largo needs another term of office for Bob Jackson
Then There Was The Super Bowl - From the singing of the national anthem to the jumping of Mick Jagger at halftime, Super Bowl special effects were … not very super.
On the other hand, neither was the football game officiating. Officiating was something one might expect at a high-school football game where game officials work full-time at another job.
Good news about the recent Super Bowl?
Steelers won, and so did a few television commercials.
Ever Wonder Where We Get Our Oil? - In the U.S. we buy the majority of our nation's oil from Canada (16.27 percent), Mexico (12.66 percent), Venezuela (11.83 percent) and the rest from Persian Gulf states.
Did you notice the importance of OPEC?
Without OPEC and Persian Gulf oil production, oil supplies in the U.S. could be cut in half, imagine how the price of fuel would climb if oil production were cut in half due to a loss of OPEC oil.
Hybrid cars?
The savings of lower American fuel costs by use of hybrid vehicles, albeit small, is a future fuel savings in the right direction.
Nuclear energy?
Yes, we perhaps could look at France as a good example. France reportedly uses about 80 percent of energy for heating from French nuclear plants.
Big deal?
Yes, that is why President Bush, an oil man, stated in his presidential address that we Americans need to become less dependent on foreign oil use … and develop more nuclear power plants and alternative fuel sources.
Is OPEC pleased with Bush's recent comments about use of foreign oil?
No.
More Financial News - The price of gold reached $576.80 on Monday, this represents a gain of 10.91 percent since January 1 of this year. Crude oil is $64.68, up 9.04 percent from January 1. Not a bad return in just 5 weeks. Meanwhile, fed chief Alan Greenspan increased federal interest rates by ¼ of a point in his last meeting as chairman of the Federal Reserve. This means that bank overnight interest rates (loans to each other) are 4.5 percent. This is the fourteenth straight interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve Board since June of 2004.
Greenspan believed that Federal Reserve interest rate hikes help to forestall a recession.
Politics — a statesman shears the sheep, the politician skins them. — Austin O'Malley